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US-led force admits no permission for Pakistan strike

(AFP) The US-led coalition in Afghanistan has admitted it did not have permission from Pakistan to strike Taliban positions across the border at the weekend, citing a “miscommunication” problem.

The coalition had insisted it was given the go-ahead for the attack inside Pakistan on Saturday that destroyed six Taliban firing posts on both sides of the frontier, killing more than a dozen rebels.

This was rejected by the Pakistani army which said it had not even been asked for authorisation. The foreign ministry in Islamabad said reports of permission being given were “speculative and fabricated”.

The coalition said in a statement late Monday it had investigated further and found that Pakistan had not actually given permission.

“We regret the miscommunication in this event,” said the coalition’s deputy commanding general for operations, Brigadier General Joseph Votel.

He said the coalition was committed to respecting the sovereign borders of Pakistan.

Pakistan has said repeatedly it would not allow foreign troops to hunt extremist militants, some linked to Al-Qaeda, on its soil and was doing what it could against them.

Remnants of the Taliban regime are believed to have fled into Pakistan after they were driven from government in Afghanistan in late 2001.

From there they are said to train militants, with the help of Al-Qaeda, who launch attacks in Afghanistan where an Taliban-led insurgency is intensifying.

Votel said in the statement the coalition wanted to continue cooperations with Pakistan, “which has been an important ally in fighting the enemies of peace and stability.”

“We appreciate the significant contributions Pakistan is making to the war on terror by conducting operations against Al-Qaeda and Taliban extremist fighters who try to hide in their country,” he said.

US President George W. Bush this month refused to rule out unilateral US strikes on Pakistani soil if specific intelligence pinpointed top Al-Qaeda leaders.